Acetylene-gas generator.



Patented Oct. I6, i900.

No. www.

. L. MAMMEN.

ACETVLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application led Jan. 5, 1900.)

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Sarno Farrar llrrich.

TO W'ILLIAM LUENSE, OF SAME PLACE.

ACETYLENE-GAS GEN ERTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 660,076, dated October 1d, 19;

Application led January 5, 1900. Serial No. 429. (No modcLl To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAWRENCE MAMMEN, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new7 and useful Improvements in acetylene-Generators; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and

to the letters of reference marked thereon,

which form a part of this specification.

This invention embraces improvements in acetylene-generators.

The invention herein shown as embodied in a bicycle-lamp; but the essential features of the generator may be embodied in a generating apparatus alone.

The in vention also embraces features of improvem ents which may be applied to a lamp.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a central vertical section of a bicycle-lamp provided with a generator embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts in a changed position. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken through the lower end of a waterreceptacle. Fig. -l is a detail View of the burner-tube. Fig. 5 is a central vertical section of a modied form of the device.

As shown in said drawings, A designates the generating-chamber, which is desirably made cylindric. A designates the upper wall of said chamber, and A2 the bottom wall.

i3 designates the liquid-receptacle, which is located within the generating-chamber and shown as extending downwardly through the upper wail A, centrally thereof. Said receptacle is made of such length as to extend at its lower end to the bottom of the generatingchamber and at its upper end outside of the chamber. The upper part of said receptacle is contained within a tube A3, which depends from the top wall of the shell and is shown as made integral with said top wall. Said tube aifords a guide for the liquid-receptacle and also a shield therefor when the generator is out of operation. The exposed end of said liquid-receptacle is provided with a flange o, which overlaps the top wall of the generating-chanlber, around the central apertures through which the receptacle passes, and be*- tweon said flange and the top wall is inserted a packing a, of rubber or the like. Said upper end of the liquid-receptacle is closed by a screw-threaded plug B. Said liquid-receptacle is longitudinally movable, whereby the 'lower end thereof may be withdrawn away Afrom the calcium carbid contained within the generating-chamber, and such movement of the receptacle brings the lower end thereof into the tubular guide A3. The lower end of the receptacle is surrounded by the calcium carbid in the chamber when the generatoris in operation. Said lower end of the receptacle is provided with one or more slits b', preferably a number which are circumferentially separated, and such slitted portion is covered by a lining B2 of absorbent material. In Figs. l to 3 said lining is contained within the receptacle. The liquid contained within the receptacle comes in direct contact with said absorbent lining and passes therethrough and through the slits to the generating-chamber. Said lining is desirably made of a material possessing considerable density and rigidity and having a plurality of minute pores which minutely subdivide or fractionate the liquid passing therethrough. Said liquid-receptacle is provided at its upper end with exterior screw-threads b2, which engage corresponding interior screw-threads a in the upper end of the tube and by means of which said receptacle is heldin its lowernn ost position. l/Vhen the receptacle is in its lowermost position, the packing-ring a prevents the escape of gas between said parts.

The liquid-receptacle is shown in Fig. l in the position which it occupies when the apparatus is in operation. When generation of gas is to be discontinued, the receptacle is elevated away 4from the calcium carbid in the generating-chamber and the lower or slitted end of the receptacle is withdrawn into the tube A3. As a means for holding the liquid-receptacle in its elevated position it is provided at its lower end with exterior screwthreads b3, which are adapted to engage corresponding interior screw-threads a2, formed in the lower end of the tube A3. In order to prevent leakage of gas or liquid at the lower end of said tube when the liquid-receptacle lOO is in its uppermost position, said receptacle is provided at its lower end with an annular flange B5, of greater diameter than the tube, and upon the upper surface of said flange is laid a packing-rin g B4, of rubber or other yielding material, which when the receptacle is in its upper position is pressed between said flange and the lower end `of said tube.

When the lower end of the liquid-receptacle is drawn into the tube A3, the calcium carbid; which is of granular form, shifts into the position shown in Fig. 2. In order to lower the receptacle into its'operativeposition, the generator will desirably be so supported that it may be inverted. For this purpose the bracket C, by which the lamp in which the invention is shown as embodied is attached to its support, will embodya suitable swiveling device of any preferred character by which said lamp may be readily inverted. In case the joint between said tubular extension and the liquid receptacle should not be tight enough to prevent the leakage of liquid therethrough the reversal of the device will guard against such leakage by reason of the fact that the liquid will be contained in the opposite end of the receptacle and that said calcium carbid will be separated therefrom by wall of the tube Ai.

The upper wall A of the generating-chamber is shown as permanently attached to the shell A by having its margin spun around an annular bead on the upper end of the wall of the chamber. The bottom A2 of said chamber has screw-threaded engagement with the lower end'of the wall thereof and is adapted to be removed for the purpose of charging the generating-chamber and removing the solid products of generation therefrom. In order to provide a gas-tight joint between the removable bottom and the wall of the generating-chamber, a packing-ring a3, of rubberor like yielding material, is interposed between the same and the lower end of said wall. As a further improvement the cylindric flange of the bottom on which the screwthreads are formed is shown as made slightly flaring or conical, so that when screwed in place a tighter joint is formed than would be afforded if the screw-threads were formed on two cylindric parts. One of the parts on which the screw-threads a' b2 are formed may similarly be made conical for a like purpose. Such flaring of the screw-threaded parts need be but slight, so that in the drawings this feature of the construction is hardly appreciable.

D indicates a burner-tube which is connected at its lower end with the generatingchamber and projects at its upper end into the usual reflector E at the rear of a lens F, secured in said reflector in a common manner. G designates a screen which is located at the mouth of the burner-tube and which is made of such fineness as to prevent the entrance of the calcium carbid into said tube. Said tube in the form here shown is made of th ree parts-namely, a lower section' d, an upper section df', which have telescopic connection, and a burner-tip d2, which slips into the upper end of the upper section. Said lower section is made of a cylindric tube bent to proper form and the lower end of the upper section is made conical or flaring and is fitted over the lower section by being pressed tightly thereon. rlhe shank of the tip 032 is similarly tapered and is attached to the upper section in a like manner. The above construction of the burner-tubes affords a ready means of att-aching the said parts together and making gas-tight joints between the same without the necessity of using solder or like means, as heretofore common in such constructions. The burner-tube D is unvalved, so that whatever gas remains in the generating-chamber after the water-receptacle has been moved away from the calcium carbid -therein will be allowed to burn until the Haine mass of carbid. lhave found a composition of plaster-of-paris with cement to be a suitable material for such porous or absorbent lining. Such material while permitting the passage of water therethrough acts to retard its free flow, as would be true if the pores of such material were relatively large. Moreover, by reason of the fact that the said liquid is fractionated in its passage through the porous or absorbent material and it enters the generating-chamber in a finely-subdivided state the generation of the gas by decomposition of the calcium carbid goes on gradually and is not suddenly generated in large quantities, as is true where the water is admitted to the generator-chamber in its natural state and freely. Furthermore, by reason of the fact that the liquid is finely subdivided when it exudes from the inner surface of absorbent or porous lining any excessive pressure within the generating-chamber will act to retard the flow of water through the lining until such excessive pressure is reduced, so that the pressure within the generating-chamber will be automatically controlled and does not rise to a point where it would endanger the integrity of the device. In the practical operation of thelarnp, therefore, the pressure of the gas within the generating-chamber controls the admission of the liquid to the generating-chamber and maintains a substantialljT constant pressure within said chamber and, furthermore, prevents such excessive pressure as would endanger the safety of the device.

In Fig. 5 the generating-chamber A, the burner D, and the reflector E are made like the same parts shown in the other figures. In this construction the absorbent lining B4,

IIO

through which the liquid passes to theV generating-chamber, surrounds the lower end of the liquid-receptacle B5. Said lower end of the receptacle is reduced to an extent equal to the thickness of the porous lining B4, so that said porous lining` is approximately equal in exterior diameter to that of the receptacle. Said lower end of the receptacle is provided inside of the lining with a plurality of circumferentially-separated longitudinallyarranged slits b5,through which the liquid passes to the absorbent lining. The receptacle is provided near its upper end with an annular depression or recess which is lled with a packingB, which takes the place of the packing-ring ct of Fig. 1, to prevent the escape of gas through the tube A3. The said liquidreceptacle is held in its lowermost position by means of external screw-threads b5 thereon which engage corresponding internal screwthreads aLl in the tube and is held in its uppermost position by external screw-threads bl, which engage corresponding internal screwthreads d5 at the lower end of said tubular extension. The lower end of the liquid-receptacle is provided with an annular ange BT, which limits the upward movement of the receptacle, and on the upper surface of said flange is located a packing-ring 128, of rubber or the like, which is pressed between said iange and the lower end of said tubular extension A3 when the liquid-receptacle is in its uppermost position. The operation of this form of the device is the same as the operation shown in Figs. l and 2, the lower end of the liquid-receptacle being extended beyond the tube A3 when the generator is in operation and withdrawn into the tube when it is desired to discontinue the use of the generator. Said lamp may be provided with a swiveling bracket, whereby it may be inverted in the manner above stated.

The flanges BS and B7 on Vthe lower ends of the liquid-receptacle are made removable, they being shown as having the form of rings having screw-threaded engagement with the receptacles. YVhen said flanges are removed, the receptacle may be entirely removed from the generating-chambers.

I claim as my inventionl. An acetylene generator comprising a generating-chamber and a movable liquid-receptacle therein connected by a passage with the chamber, which, when in its operative position, is adapted to be partially surrounded by the calcium carbid contained within the generating-chamber,and which is constructed to be moved away from its operative position to discontinue the operation of the generator.

2. An acetylene generator comprising a generating-chamber and a movable liquid-receptacle therein which, when in its operative position,is adapted to be partially surrounded by the calcium carbid contained within the generating-chamber,and which is constructed to be moved away from its operative position to discontinue the operation of the generator,

said liquid-receptable being provided in its part adjacent to part of the generating-chamber which receives the calcium carbid with one or more openings and the wall of said part covered by a lining of porous material.

3. An acetylenegenerator comprising a generating-chamber, aliquid-receptacle connected by a passage with said chamber one end of which is contained within the chamber and the other end of which projects outside ot'V the chamber, said receptacle being movable whereby it may be moved outwardly away from the portion of the generating-chamber adapted to contain the calcium carbid and a removable closure on the outer end of the liquid-receptacle.

4. An acetylenegenerator comprising a generating-chamber, a liquid-receptacle the lower end of which is contained within the generating-chamber and the upper end of which projects outside of the chamber, said tube being vertically movable and being provided at its lower end with a plurality of circumferentially-separated slits and a lining covering the walls of the receptacle in its part containing the slits, said lining being made of a rigid material.

5. An acetylene -generator comprising a generating-chamber, a movable liquid-receptacle therein connected by a passage with the chamber which, when in its operative position, is adapted to be partially surrounded by the calcium carbid contained in the generating-chamber, and which is constructed to be moved away from its operative position to discontinue the operation of the generator, and a tube within which the liquid-receptacle is withdrawn when moved into its inoperative position.

6. An acetylenegenerator comprising a generating-chamber, a liquid-receptacle connected by a passage with The chamber, which, when in its operative position is adapted to be partially surrounded by the calcium carbid contained within the generating-chain ber, and which is constructed to be moved away from its operative position to discontinue the operation of the generator, an inclosure within which said liquid-receptacle is withdrawn when moved in to its inoperative position, and means for holding said liquid-receptacle from movement with respect to said inclosure.

'7. An acetylene-generator comprising a generating-chamber, a movable liquid-receptacle therein connected by a passage with the chamber which, when in its operative position is adaptedto be partially surrounded by the calcium carbid contained within the generating-chamber, and which is constructed to be moved away from its operative position to discontinue the operation of the burner, said generator being supported in a manner permitting it to be inverted.

8. An acetylene generator comprising a generating-chamber, having a tube depending from the upper wall thereof and open at its upper and lower ends, a liquid-receptacle ICO IIO

connected by a passage with the chamber, the upper end of which is contained within said tube, and the lower end of which extends below the tube into the generating-chamber said liquid-receptacle being adapted to be moved upwardly with the lower end thereof contained in said tube.

9. An acetylene generator comprising a generating-chamber, having a tube depending from the upper wall thereof and open at its upper and lower ends, a liquid-receptacleconnected by a passage with the chamber, the upper end of which is contained within said tube, and the lower end of which extends below t-he tube into the generating-chamber, said liquid-receptacle being adapted to be moved upwardly with the lower end thereof contained in said tube, and means on the tube and receptacle for holding said receptacle in its lowermost position and means on said parts for holding said receptacle in its withdrawn position.

lO. An acetylene-generator comprising a generating-chamber, a tube depending from the upper wall thereof, and open at its upper and lower ends, a liquid-receptacle, the upper part of which is contained within said tube, and the lower part of which projects below said tube into the generating-chamber,,said lower part of the receptacle being provided Awith one or more openings and being covered with a lining through which the liquid passes to the generating-chamber and the receptacle being vertically movable whereby the lower end thereof may be withdrawn into said tube.

11. An acetylene-generator comprising a generating-chamber, a tube depending from the upper wall thereof, which'is open at its upper and lower ends, a liquid-receptacle, the upper end of which is contained within said tube and the lower end of which projects below the tube into the generating-chamber, the walls of the lower end of the receptacle being constructed to permit the passage of liquid therethrough and a flange on the lower end of said receptacle, said receptacle being vertically movablev whereby the lower end thereof may be withdrawn into said tube, and the flange on the lower end of said receptacle when the receptacle is in its upper position bearing against the lower end of the tube tol provide a fluid-tight joint.

12. An acetylenegenerator comprising a generating-chamber, a tube depending from the upper wall thereof, which is open at its upper and lower ends, a vertically-movable liquid-receptacle connected by a passage with the chamber, the upper end of which is contained within said tube and the lower end of which projects beyond the tube into the generating-chamber, screwthreads on said liquid-receptacle which engage corresponding ,Screw-threads on the tube to hold the same in its lowermost position, and screw-threads on the liquid-receptacle adapted to engage corresponding threads on the tube when the receptacle is in its elevated position to hold it in such position.

13. An acetylene-generator comprising a generating-chamber, a tube depending from the upper wall thereof which is open at both ends, a vertically-movable liquid-receptacle, the upper part of which is normally contained within said tube and the lower part of which projects beyond the tube into the generatingchamber, said receptacle being adapted to be withdrawn with its lower end in the tube, means permitting the passage of liquid from the liquid receptacle to the generatingchamber, a packing inserted between said liquid-receptacle and the said tube and means for holding the receptacle stationary with respect to said tube in both its vertical positions.

14. An acetylene-generator comprising a generating-chamber, a tube depending from the upper wall thereof, which is open at its upper and lower ends, a liquid-receptacle the upper end of which is contained within said tube and lthe lower end of which projects .beyond the tube into the generating-chamber, and constructed to permit the passage of liquid from the receptacle to the generatingchamber, said receptacle being adapted to be withdrawn with its lower end in the tube, screw-threads on the tube and liquid-receptacle for holding said receptacle stationary with respect to said generating-chamber, one of said screw-threaded parts being made slightly tapering to afford a tight it between said screw-threads.

15. An acetylene-generator comprising a generating-chamber,a liquid-receptacle which is partially surrounded by the calcium carbid contained Within said generating-chamber, a part of said receptacle which is surrounded by said calcium carbid being provided with a plurality of circumferentially-separated slits, a rigid lining covering the slitted portion of the receptacle, and a tube attached to said generating-chamber within which slitted por- IOC) IIO

tion of the receptacle is adapted to be withf drawn when the operation of the generator is to be discontinued.

16. An acetylene-generator comprising a generating-chamber,aliquid-receptacle which when in its operative position is adapted to be partially surrounded by the calcium carbid contained within the generating chamber, and which is movable to permit it to be moved away from said calcium carbid to discontinue the operation of the generator,means of permitting the passage of the liquid from said liquid-receptacle to the said generatingchamber, a plate constituting the bottom of the chamber provided with an annular flange which fits outside of and has screw-threaded engagement with the wall of said chamber, one of said screw-threaded parts being made slightly tapering.

17. An acetylene-generator comprising a generating chamber and a movable liquidreceptacle therein connected by a passage with the chamber which when in its operative position is adapted to be partially snrronnded by the oaleinm carbid Within the gen erating-eliamber and Whiehis constructed To be moved away from its operative position to discontinue the operation of the burner and means for entirely removing the receptacle from the generating-chamber.

1S. An acetylene-generator comprising a generating-chamber, a tube depending from the upper Wall thereof which is open at its Upper and lower ends, a liquid-receptacle the upper end of which is contained within said 

